Portable mat



March 943- w. o. ALDRICH 2,313,211

PORTABLE MAT Filed Nov. 20, 1940 W/u-w 04%1 4405/04 Patented Mar. 9, 1943 PORTABLE MAT Wilfred Orin Aldrich, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 20, 1940, Serial No. 366,481

6 Claims. (Cl. 94-4) woven fencing or wire fabric or, if desired, may

This invention relates to removable mats, and particularly to an improved portable mat especially adaptable as a landing field mat for use in landing airplanes and the like, andto a method of assembling the same.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved portable mat which is simple and inexpensive in its construction and use, and at the same time one that is quickly assembled for use or dismantled.

It is another object of the invention to pro- 'vide an improved portable mat which is strong and rugged in its construction and one which is 'nected together by an improved fastening means,

so as to provide a mat having a substantially fiat continuous surface which is especially adaptable for use as an airplane landing field mat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable mat consisting generally of a plurality of mesh members or sections and an improved method of connecting such members or sections together.

Various other objects and advantages of thison the line 11-11 of a plurality of substantially fiat mesh members or reticulated sections 2 adapted to be laid in abutting relation to each other. their side edges substantially abutting the side edges of the mesh members or sections laid to either side thereof and with their end edges substantially abutting the end edges of the mesh consist of any other flat member having apertures arranged along the edges; thereof for attaching the same together. For example, a very practical section for use as shown'in the drawing, consists of a plurality of steel rods 3 spaced apart about two inches and extending lengthwise of the section, and a plurality of similar steel rods l likewise spaced apart about two inches and extending crosswise of the-section, which are electrically welded together at each of their points of intersection so as to provide 2" x 2'-f substantially fiat square or rectangular-shaped mesh sections with each section being approximately ten feet in length and five feet in width.

There is arranged along each of .both the. opposed abutting side and end edges of each of the mesh members or sections, a removable spiral fasten the abutting edges together throughout the length thereof or the members or sections 2 may be of such length, particularly if a woven That is, with sections laid to'either end thereof. Each of the flat members or sections 2 consists preferably of a plurality of steel rods welded together at their intersecting points so as to provide a substantially square or po ygonal-shaped open mesh structure, as shown in the drawing, or these members .or sections may consist of any suitable mesh fencing is used, that it is necessary to provide spiral fastening members 5 at spaced apart intervals only along the abutting side edges of the mesh members throughout the length thereof. The spiral fastening members 5 are preferably made from the same material asboth thesteel rods 3 and 5, preferably from'a No. 4 steel rod or wire, and have approximately a one-half inch inner diameter with about a one-half inch pitch and being about four and one-half inches in length, so as to be easily manipulated and handled.

The portable mat of my invention is assembled in the following manner:

The mesh members or sections 2 are arranged in the desired position with their side edges substantially abutting the side edges of the mesh sections laid to either side thereof and their end edges substantially abutting the end edges of the mesh sections laid to either end thereof. The spiral fastening member 5 is then inserted and threaded into the mesh sections along-the abutting side edges with the insertion' being eflected by rotating the spiral fastening member through the outer meshes of the sections. The opposed ends of the two abutting sections are assembled in the same manner, but it is necessary to thread member connecting the opposed side edges together can be threaded back into position ad'- Jacent the ends of the sections,as is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

It will be understood that while my improved mat is especially adaptable for use as a landing field mat for airplanes and the like, it may be 3. A portable mat of the class described conslsting of a plurality of substantially flat open mesh sections which are adapted to be laid in the desired position with their side edges substantially abutting the side edges of the mesh sections laid to either side thereof and with their end edges substantially abutting the end edges used for any purpose wherein it is desired to provide a flat surface on relatively soft earth such as a passageway for any other types of vehicles.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an improved portable mat consisting ofa plurality of sections which are positively locked together and yet provide a nonslipping and flexible joint with the connecting or fastening means extending a minimum distance above the surface of the sections so as to provide a continuous unitary mat. It will also be seen that the improved portable mat of my invention can be quickly dismantled, if desired, and transported from one point to another by merely moving the spiral fastening members 5 from the abutting edges of the sections in the reverse manner in which they are assembled thereon, thereby providing a mat which is serviceable and one which can be quickly assembled and dismantled.

While I have shown and described an embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, as various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable mat of the class described consisting of a plurality of substantially flat members having a plurality of apertures arranged, therethrough at least along their edges and which are adapted to be laid in substantially abutting relation to each other, and a spiral fastening member arranged through the apertures in each of the opposed abutting'edges of said flat members for connecting the same together so as to provide a continuous unitary mat, said spiral fastening members extending along several openings in said flat members so as to attach them securely together.

2. A portable mat of the class described consisting of a plurality of substantially flat open mesh sections which are adapted to be laid in the desired position with their side edges substantially abutting the side edges of the mesh sections laid to either side thereof and with their end edges substantially abutting the end edges of the mesh sections laid to either end thereof, and a preformed relatively rigid spiral fastening member arranged through the openings at both the opposed abutting side and end edges of each of the mesh sections for connecting the same together so as to provide a continuous unitary mat, each of said spiral fastening members extending along several o'penings in said sections so as to attach them securely together with the convolutions of each of said spiral members spaced closer together than the size of the mesh openings in said sections whereby the spiral members can be rotated into position.

of the mesh sections laid to either end thereof, and a preformed relatively rigid spiral fastening member arranged through the openings at both the opposed abutting side and end edges at least at points adjacent the ends and sides of each of said mesh sections for connecting the same together so as to provide a continuous unitary mat, each of the said spiral fastening members extending from the side and end edges of the sections along several openings so as to attach the sections securely together with the convolutions of each of said spiral members spaced closer together than the size of the mesh openings insaid sections whereby the spiral members can be rotated into position.

4. A portable mat of the class described comprising a plurality .-of substantially flat reticulated sections, each of said sections having polygonal-shaped openings therein with the edges of said sections being substantially straight and in "the same plane,said fs'ctioris arranged with their .edges parallel and in substantially abutting relation to each other, and a preformed relatively rigid spiral fastening member arranged along each of the abutting edges of said sections, each of said spiral fastening members threaded around the abutting edges of the respective sections so as to join. the same togethervwhereby there is provided a continuous unitary mat with the convolutions of each of saidspiral fastening members spaced closer together than the size of the mesh openings in said sections whereby the spiral fastening members can be rotated into position.

5. A portable mat of the class described comprising a plurality of flat reticulated sections, each of said sect ions consisting of a plurality of steel rods secured together so as to provide substantially rectangular-shaped sections having rectangular-shaped openings therein and substantially straight edges, said sections arranged with their edges parallel and in substantially abutting relation to each other, and a preformed spiral fastening wire member arranged along each of the abutting edges of said sections, each of said spiral fastening members threaded around the abutting edges of the respective sections so as to Join the same together whereby there is provided a continuous unitary mat.

6, A portable mat of the class described comprising a plurality of substantially flat reticulated sections having openings arranged along the edges thereof with the edges of said sections being substantially straight and in the same plane, said sections arranged with their edges parallel and in substantially abuttingrelation to each other, a plurality of preformed spiral vided a continuous unitary mat.

- WILF'R ED CRIN ALDRICH. 

